Anyone that knows anything about food knows that Spain is a seafood eating nation. Since the 1990s, Spain has been one of the top five sealife exploiters with an extremely powerful and efficient fishing fleet. Spain is responsible for about 50% of all the EU's Shark and Ray catch. This is why the results of a new poll commissioned by the Shark Alliance is so surprising. While 96% of pollees said that they did not eat Shark, 76% did not now that the popular Spanish seafood items “cazón” and “marrajo” are actually Shark. Cazón is Dogfish and marrajo is the endangered Porbeagle Shark. 33% of those polled said that they eat “cazón” and “marrajo.” A similar poll showed that 95% of Spanish people supported Shark and other endangered species regulations.

“Spanish fishermen catch more sharks than those from any other European country while the Spanish government is increasingly out of touch with its citizens’ views on protecting shark populations,” said Sandrine Polti of the Shark Alliance.

A report published today by Shark Alliance member SUBMON found that the mislabelling and renaming of shark products within Spain is widespread and likely responsible for the discrepancy between people expressing the desire to abstain from shark meat and yet consuming it under other guises.

[Underwater Times]

Marrajo is endangered Porbeagle Shark.

It is of critical importance that there be accurate, honest, and consistent labeling of all seafood. People need to know what exactly what they are eating and what their dietary choices are supporting. When someone orders fish and chips they should know exactly the species of fish they are eating. It isn't always Cod or Haddock. Ever see Rock Salmon on a menu? Hmmm, Salmon right? Nope. Rock Salmon is Spiny Dogfish, a critically Endangered species of small Shark.

Aside from accurate labeling, here is what the Shark Alliance report suggests:

* Limit shark catches to scientifically advised and/or precautionary levels;
* Eliminate excess fleet capacity;
* Prevent take of particularly vulnerable or endangered shark species;
* Ensure accurate reporting and traceability of shark trade by species and product; and
* Educate fishermen and sellers as to shark species identification and restrictions.

Educate yourself. The greedy thrive off of the ignorance of the consumer. It is up to you to police industry. The government cannot be trusted to legislate ethics.

--El Tiburon

How many of you would eat Mountain Gorilla? How about Siberian Tiger, Rhino, or Panda? Not many right? Then why would you eat Bluefin Tuna?

A group of Prius-driving celebs has sent a letter to Nobu chef Nobu Matsuhisa asking him to cease the sale of critically endangered Bluefin Tuna from the menus of his 20-some-odd restaurants.

"As customers and fans of Nobu, we feel strongly that blue fin tuna must be completely removed from your menu due to its perilous position as an extremely endangered animal...The possibility that the magnificent bluefin tuna, one of the fastest creatures on the planet, could be extinct in as little as four years, is a tragedy."

[source]

The letter stops short of an outright call for boycott, but the Japanese are a subtle people and know how to take a hint. The effort is being organized by British heiress Kate Goldsmith yeah, yeah, of the Rothschild fortune. She could probably buy the entire restaurant chain and ban the Bluefin herself. Some of the celeb signees: Stephen Fry, Elle Macphereson, Sting, Alicia Silverstone, Charlize Theron, Sienna Miller, Laura Bailey, Jemima Khan, Trudie Styler, Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, Stuart Townsend, and other names that we like to put here to improve our Google search results. They also dropped Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver's names as celebrity chefs who have stopped serving Bluefin in their restaurants. Let's hope that Nobu Matsuhisa and his good friend and Nobu investor Robert Dinero feel the dishonor of their stubborn adherence to ensuring the extinction of the most noble species of Tuna and change their tune.

Allow us to beat to the punch some of the undereducated wannabe contrarians that will inevitably be calling the celebrity activists out for their pretentiousness, self-importance, and ego issues that make them think that we care what they think. "How dare they tell us what to eat?" these contrarians will say. "We don't care what they think." The truth is that people DO care what celebrities think. That is why celebrities get paid so well. The proof that people care about what celebrities think is that they take the 15 seconds to post on blogs that they don't care what celebrities think. Does this mean that celebrities opinions are better than the "common man's?" No, it doesn't. But celebrities bring attention to the issue, so I am all for their windbaggery.

Oh, and most of the people that were not at all moved by the above paragraph--you probably don't have enough money to eat at Nobu anyway. *fart noise*

Nobu and co are expected to respond to the celebrity letter on monday...just in time for...WORLD OCEANS DAY...

Waitaminute. I think I have just fallen victim to a clever media ruse on the part of Kate Goldsmith and friends and Nobu. I bet you all a cucumber, avocado, and jalapeno sushi roll that Nobu announces that they will either be banning the Bluefin on Monday or they will be doing it very soon...then we will see if they put their money where their mouth is.

Who wants a piece of that action?

--El Tiburon

Oceana has launched a new PSA campaign starring Man Men star January Jones. The Scared for Sharks campaign has been running in magazines, radio, and television. There are some sweet videos of Ms. Jones swimming with our favorite animals at the Bimini Biological Field Station. Visit Oceana to check out the vids.

“I think spreading the word about the negative effects humans are having on sharks is crucial,” added Jones. “I hope as a result of this campaign, the public will become more engaged in Oceana’s work -- it’s an amazing organization with amazing contacts, scientists and supporters – a truly inspired and motivated group of people.”

[source]

We have to agree with our friends at Underwater Thrills, Oceana is the "master of the message." Oceana is one of the most level-headed, responsible, and effective friends us Sharks have. Hey, you can go to their site and adopt a Shark for $35!

I wish someone would adopt me.

--Sharky

Snake-poisoned Chicken to be "banned soon" in China.

For the past couple of years, it has been popular in the Chinese Guangdong and Chongqing provinces for restaurants to serve a dish called Snake-bitten Chicken. The dish is prepared by forcing venomous snakes to bite a live Chicken to death. The poison is allowed to soften up the corpse nicely and then the Chicken is cooked and served. Yum.

We understand that millions of Chickens are killed every day for consumption, while literally billions are kept in the worst conditions imaginable. But isn't this just a wee bit cruel and exotic, just for the sake of being cruel and exotic? In classic Chinese doctor/chef fashion, the venom-rotted Chicken is being touted as having medicinal properties. Yeah, add this to the list of atrocities committed in the name of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Apparently this Chicken-poisoning has been going on for years. The Chinese government is only moving now to ban the practice because of a video of the "venomizing" that was leaked on the internet. We tried our damnedest to find said video, but it appears that it has been removed...probably by the Chinese thought police. If it turns up again we will post it.

Oh, and for those of you that might be concerned about the human health consequences of eating Chicken that has been killed by multiple venomous snake bites: it would depend upon the species of snake involved in the biting. I am not a herpetologist or "venomologist" but I am guessing that the neurotoxic species would be much more dangerous that the hemotoxic species. Then again, I am guessing that the Chickens are killed by hemotoxic species because hemotoxin wrecks tissues, blood, and organs, and this would probably affect the taste of the flesh the most...oh consequently, this type of poison is the most painful. The rumor is that the Chinese government is not really banning the practice, they are just doing a bit of damage control because of the leaked video.

Thanks to Clam, for throwing this nightmare at us,

--El Tiburon

Bling Dat Boogie!

--Sharky